My Mute Bride

Not long after Victor left, Rachel heard the doorbell ring.

Originally thinking he left something behind, she opened the door, only to see a courier.

“Ms. Rachel Hudson?”

Upon hearing that, Rachel nodded.

“There are two intracity express parcels for you. Please sign here.”

Startled, she signed for the parcels, thereafter receiving a cake and a paper bag.

Right now on the table, there was still half an uneaten cake that Victor had rushed out to buy at noon upon finding out it was her birthday.

So, who bought the cake that the courier delivered?

Setting it aside on the table for now, she pulled a rectangular suede box out of the paper bag.

With a click, she opened it and discovered a silver-colored necklace in the box that glimmered underneath the light

The pendant was in the simple design of a small sun with a hollow center.

Putting down the box, she found a card on top of the cake box that simply read ‘Happy Birthday’ without any signature.

Dumbfounded, she stared at the items until her phone started vibrating.

It was a text message from Julian reading, ‘Did you receive what I sent?’

Immediately, she understood. ‘I did. I was wondering who would remember my birthday.’

‘Don’t forget that you’re a patient of mine. It’s not strange that I would remember your birthday.’

‘Thank you.

‘You’re welcome. Are you free? I just finished work; come down for a walk with me!

Looking at the time, she agreed, ‘Okay.’

At this hour after dinner, the community was lively. All of the houses were lit up, and the sound of children laughing could be heard around the neighborhood as they ran around playing.

stone table and opened it. Before she could even offer some to anyone, a group of children was surrounding her and staring eagerly at the cake

is so pretty,

a knife and a paper plate, preparing to cut into the cake for the

and pulled some candles out of a box to the side. “Today is

that, the head of the group, which happened to be a little girl in

sing the

her eyes and make a

Rachel must blow out

to Julian that there was

the children sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in unison. The delicate chorus of

“Make a wish.”

There’s no need.

have to say it in your heart and not out loud, or the wish won’t come true,” a very young

head to look, she found a little girl who wasn’t even at table height yet looking

of the children, clasped her hands and made a wish. After

thank you!” their parents instructed, standing

plates, the children raced off, dabbing icing on each other’s faces. Just like that, the strangers in the community

the streetlamp, Rachel finally smiled for the first

Julian continued, “The most important thing right now is to take care of your body and your mood. You don’t

about me. I never wanted it, anyway, so I might as well pretend it never existed for now. At that point,

he changed the topic and told her, “Go on upstairs, then. It’s been getting

she turned and headed toward the

apartment and about to

loud slam, the door was propped open by a

at her, his darkened face made all the more grotesque by the

out on

sideways into the house and shut

“I see you’ve been getting along fine without

she took two steps

as he pulled off

you wouldn’t want me to ruin your blissful days, would

her, forcing her back inch by

had no idea what

staggered after him and was dragged